If you have back pain that is persistent even after using other forms of treatment, you should consider back pain surgery. Once you know the cause of the pain, it will be easier to get treatment. You can visit a spine specialist Macon, GA for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
When surgery is a treatment option, you can opt for minimally invasive surgery and reduce the time you will spend in the hospital.
Causes of back pain
- Muscle strain
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Bulging or ruptured disk
Although back pain has a variety of causes, some people have an increased risk of having the pain. Age is a huge factor when it comes to back pain. Older people usually don’t sit or stand tall as they used to when they were younger. Slouching or bending can increase the likelihood of having back pain.
Other risk factors include:
- Inactivity or lack of exercise
- Improper lifting of heavy objects
- Weak core muscles
- Diseases and psychological conditions like depression
- Smoking
What are the symptoms you should watch out for?
Even though persistent pain should be the reason to visit a spine specialist, there are other reasons you should schedule that visit. If the pain changes in intensity or new symptoms arise, your spine specialist can help diagnose the problem. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:
- The pain is severe and does not improve with rest
- You experience numbness and tingling in one or both legs
- The pain runs down your leg
- Fever accompanies the back pain
- You experience back pain with bladder problems
Once you communicate with your spine specialist about your experiences and symptoms, they can subject you to physical examination and diagnostic imaging. The examinations will indicate the cause of your pain and might indicate one of the following conditions:
- Spinal tumors
- Spinal fractures
- Herniated discs
- Lumbar stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Nerve impingement
Treatment options
If persistent pain does not respond to conservative treatment options, your spine specialist will recommend surgery. In such a case, you will have two treatment options, open surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. It is up to you to choose, but a minimally invasive surgery will offer you more benefits than open back spine surgery.
The benefits of minimally invasive surgery for persistent back pain
- Lower risk of infection
- Less postoperative pain
- Minimal scarring
- Reduced blood loss
- Quicker recovery time
Following the above benefits of minimally invasive surgeries for back pain, you can be sure not to spend several days in the hospital. Minimally invasive surgeries ensure that you experience an outpatient surgery with a lower risk of complications.
If you have been experiencing severe back pain that does not ease after using medications, you can visit spine specialists at Spine Center Atlanta. The center will offer treatment tailored to your needs to aid in quick recovery. Even if you have had a failed back spine surgery before, the specialists can offer to treat the Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
Call or schedule an appointment online today.